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Committee holds first hearing on resolution calling for Article V convention to impose congressional term limits
Summary
The House Government Oversight Committee heard sponsor testimony on House Joint Resolution 3, which would ask states to call an Article V convention limited to a single-subject amendment imposing term limits on U.S. members of Congress. Lawmakers questioned the mechanics and risks of a convention; no vote was taken.
The House Government Oversight Committee held a first hearing on House Joint Resolution 3, which would direct Ohio’s delegates to support an Article V convention limited to proposing a single-subject constitutional amendment imposing term limits on members of the U.S. Congress.
Sponsor Representative Workman told the committee the measure is intended to “apply meaningful pressure on Washington” and described the resolution as narrowly framed to avoid a so-called runaway convention. “This resolution is a single subject, meaning it cannot veer off into unrelated amendments or risk a so called runaway convention,” Workman said, adding that he expects Congress to act preemptively as states approach the Article V threshold.
Workman cited a January 2025 RMG Research survey saying that roughly 78% of Ohio voters support term limits for Congress and that 77% favor Ohio calling for an amendment-proposing convention. He said 11 states have passed identical resolutions and that, once 34 states pass such a resolution, the Article V mechanism could be triggered.
Committee members pressed Workman on legal and practical risks. Representative Groves questioned how a convention could be limited to one topic given constitutional ambiguity. Groves asked, “how do you plan on limiting an article 5 convention to 1 topic when that has never been done and the constitution does not specifically state that you would be able to do that?”
Workman replied that delegates would be chosen by state legislatures and that the bill’s sponsors expect Congress to act before a national convention is convened: “As we get close to the 34 state mark, we anticipate that congress will be preempted to act. That means that we should never have the risk of going to this so called, you know, runaway convention, myth.”
Another representative expressed concern that a convention could become sovereign if it convened in Washington. Workman reiterated that the resolution’s purpose is to use Article V as a trigger to push Congress to propose the amendment itself, noting historical examples where congressional action followed state pressure.
No formal action or vote was taken during the hearing. Committee leadership closed the first hearing after members’ questions and moved on to other bills on the agenda.
